Railroad bridge warning



Sept. 4, 1923.

B.J.HASWNGS RAILROAD BRIDGE WARNING Filed April 7, 1923 I Inventor Patented Sept. 4, 1923.

iran stares BENJAMIN J. HASTINGS, or TAUNTN, ivraSSitcHusn'rfrs.l

RAILROAD BRIDGE WARNING.

Application filed April 7,

T 0 @ZZ whom t may con cem Be it known that I, BENJAMiN J. HAST- INGs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Taunton, .county of Bristol, State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Railroad Bridge Warnings, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

Railroads are required to provide bridge warnings, so-called, suspended over the track to serve as a warning to brakemen on top of freight cars of the near approach to the bridge. These warnings usually consist of a series of telltales in the form of wire hangers pivotally connected to an arm f extending crosswise ofthe track in such manner that they mayswing in the kdirection lengthwise oft-he track; These wires are usually a foot or so in length, and secured to the lower endfof each wire is a rope which hangs down at a'sufiicent distance, so that if the' 'brakeman is'standing or sitting on the top of a freight car lthe rope will strike himwin ample time to enable himto fiatten himself on top of the car and thereby avoid striking against the bridge.

In the usual form of construction, one end of the wire is bent around to form an eye which is connected in some suitable manner with the cross4 arm and the other end of the wire is formed with an eye which is engaged with a loop in the upper end of the rope, so that the rope will swing with relation to the wire, and the wire also has a swinging motion with relation to the crossbar from which it is hung. When the rope is connected with the wire, in the manner above described, which is the usual way, it frequently happens that when the rope is swung up it becomes knotted or twisted, or caught in some way, so that it does not swing back readily into the free downright position that it should occupy. One object of the present invention is to provide an improved hanger and means for connecting the rope with the hanger, whereby both the hanger and the rope have a free swinging movement and yet all danger of the knotting at the connection between the rope and the hanger is avoided.

The sparks from the locomotive frequently fall onto the rope near its lower end and set it afre. There is practically no danger from the-sparks lodging on any .which is tubular, at least. at .theends, and -ispreferably tubular throughout its length.

1923. Serial No.. 630,490.

part of the rope to do any'damage except at the lowerl end, so that ythe lower enolis set on re and burns in an upward direction like a slow match on a fuse. Onelobject of the present invention is to provide a protector for the lower end of the rope,

whereby danger of burning the rsame is avoided. t The invention will be fully lunderstood from the following description when taken in connection with thefaccompanying drawings, andl the novel. features thereof will be pointed out and clearly defined in the claims at the close of this specification..

In the drawings, Fig. 1 isv a` view in lele-l vation of a device embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is an elevation showing a modified form in which the device` is shown as being formed with three branches. Fig. 8 is a view showing a modified of construction ofthe eye. Referring now to `the drawings, I provide a metallic hanger or drop member ll To the upper end of the tube is secured an eye member 2 which is formed with a shank 3 fitted into the end of the tube and secured therein by any suitablel means, So that it is rigidly connected therewith. One method of securing the shank 3 within the upper end of the tubeis by forming the shankv 3 with annular ribs 4 and crimping the tube between the ribs so as to fit snugly. The eye 2 serves for connection with a suitable hanger or holder secured to the cross arm. A rope 5 has its upper'end inserted for a short distance into the lower end of the tube and is firmly secured therein by crimping the lower end of the tube so as to form a plurality of points l5 which are pinched into the rope and firmly hold itl in connection with the tube. The rope thus hangs from the lower end of the tube and form being flexible it is free to swing with relathe upper end of the thimble, and forming a plurality of prongs 8 which engage with the rope in the same manner as the upper end of the rope is connected with the tube 1.

In the modified form of yconstruction shown in Figure 2, I have shown the tubular rope holder as being formed with two branches so as to support a plurality of ropes connected with the single hanger. In this form there is shown in addition to the straight downwardly extending tubular member 10, two branch members 11, 12, which branch from the central member 10 at some point intermediate its two ends. 'Ihese branch members are rigidly connected with the central member and each one of the three members 10, 11, 12 have con nected therewith a rope 13 in the manner already described. v

In the modification shown in Figure 3, the tube 1 is drawn out at its upper end to a smaller diameter and a wire 14 is inserted into the reduced diameter portion 151 of the tube forming a sort of core, and then the small end ofthe tube with the `enclosed wire is bent around to 'form an eye 16.

I wish it to be understood that, while I prefer to make the member 1 out lof a tube which is hollow throughout its length, it is not necessary that it be hollow except at its two ends and may be solid between the socket portions, the important feature being that the rod should have a socket at each lend, one to receive the eye member at the top and the 'other to receive the rope at the lower end. In the claims I use the word tube in the broad sense to include either of the above forms.

lVhat I claim is:

1. A telltale for bridge warning compris ing a metallic drop member provided with an 'eye at the upper end thereof for attach` -ment to a holder, and a rope secured in a socket in the lower end thereof.

v2. A telltale for 'bridge warning comprising a tube having an eye at the upper end thereof, and having a .rope inserted into the lower end thereof and secured therein by teeth formed in the tube.

3. telltale for bridge warning comprising a tube having means at one end for attaching the same to a support, a drop rope having its upper end secured to the lower end of said tube and a Athimble secured to the lower end of said rope by teeth formed on the thimble.

4. A telltale for bridge warning compris ing a metallic tube having a rope inserted into the lower end thereof and secured therein by teeth struck from `tlievrnetal of the tube.

5. A telltale for a bridge warning having a drop rope provided with a spark aprotector consisting of a thimble of spark proof ymaterial which'is closed at its lower end and sides and encases the lower end portion of the rope for some distance up from the end.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature.

BENJAMIN J. HASTINGS. 

